1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the use of treatment compositions for improving animal feed and forage, and especially for reducing many of the typical negative effects of long term storage on feed and forage.
The present invention relates, more specifically, to the use of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and other polysiloxane (silicone) derived chemical compounds, in the suppression of mold, heating and spoilage in feed and forage products normally used to feed animals preferably cattle.
2. Background of the Invention
Feedstuff commodity and forage products have been used for years as a food source and/or feed supplement for animals. Each product has been subject to spoilage through mold, heating and overall degradation. Several techniques and processes have been used in the past to slow or minimize the amount of loss typically found in forage and feedstuff products. Spoiled, heat damaged, or moldy feed can cause animals to become sick, lose weight, and/or drop in production in the case of commercial agricultural operations. Reducing spoilage improves animal health and economic return.
Large animal operations are one of the major uses of feedstuff and forage products. Typically these feeds are mixed with other ingredients to make a complete ration. Spoiled feed is particularly damaging to these large operations causing animals, typically cattle, to get sick. Spoilage is a major economic loss to large animal operations worldwide.
Rain and the effects of weather tend to increase spoilage of many forage products, for example, hay, grass, and other crops that, due to current harvesting practices, remain exposed to rain and weather for some time after harvesting. Weather-damaged feed can result in loss of forage nutrient value resulting in economic loss and reduced value as an animal feed. Therefore, rain and/or weather can increase spoilage in the forage mass and reduce animal performance.
Forages compromised by rain and/or weather are particularly damaging to large dairy operations, causing animals, typically cattle, to experience less feed uptake and even compromised health. While forages are mixed with other ingredients to make a complete ration for many dairy animals, spoilage from rain/weather, and hence reduced quality, of the forage component, can cause a major economic loss to large animal operations worldwide.
Another problem associated with loss in forage and feedstuff products are the hazards associated with damage to the feed product and facilities used to store these feed products. Oxidative or microbial heating in the feed or forage mass can lead to self-ignition, resulting in severe damage to surrounding buildings and assets. Forages and Feedstuffs coated with PDMS as been found to reduce oxidative and/or microbial heating.
Care and protection of feedstuff and forage investments, therefore, is a major subject of concern for many animal feed operations. The present invention meets many needs for protecting and preserving forage for animal feed.